Brake play a very vital role in your car. They help you slow down to avoid hitting objects and other pedestrians as you drive through friction.
One of the brake parts that serve an important role is your brake pad. It’s what will stop your car. These pads are located next to your wheels on either side. Once you step on the brake pedal, the pads push against your wheels, cause friction, and stop your vehicle. However, for this process to be smooth, you must use the right brake pads.
Most vehicles come with brake pads in place. But they’ll wear out over time and need replacing. How’ll you know the right brake pads to select based on performance and safety? This post will assist you by giving you tips to help with the selection process. Read on to learn more.
It’d help to:
Know Your Driving Needs
There are different drivers on the roads. Some drive only to get to work or the local store, with others to transport heavy equipment and goods. Some uptake driving as a sport by engaging in racing activities. Brake pads have varying properties, and each use mentioned above requires different brake pads.
Besides your vehicle use, the climate in your area also determines the brake pads to get. Choose a brake pad with cold bite features if the area is prone to cold conditions and rain.
Understanding your driving needs will help guide your choice of disc brake pads. Since your safety is involved, you want to settle for a brake pad that meets all your needs without deficiency.
Consider The Material Of Your Brake Pad
Brake pads are made from various materials, which more or less determine the part’s longevity. You’ll mainly find organic, semi-metallic, fully metallic, and ceramic brake pads.
As the name suggests, organic brake pads are made from organic materials, such as rubber, carbon, and fibre. Meanwhile, semi-metallic brake pads have soft materials embedded with metals. You’re likely to find a semi-metallic pad filled with graphite, copper, steel, and others. Fully metallic brake pads, on the other hand, are made from a mixture of several metals, with the ceramic brake made of ceramic and copper fibre.
Here, the intended use of your car should be your guiding principle. If you only use your car for commuting from one place to another without regularly covering long distances, purchase a semi-metallic brake pad. These pads have a balance of features; none is extreme. Therefore, the brakes will serve you for a considerable time since there’s minimal use.
Suppose your everyday travel requires you to carry heavy loads, such as a trailer or cargo. Your go-to choice should be the fully metallic brake pad. This pad stops more efficiently since it reduces friction conveniently.
It’s good to point out that costs among the four materials vary. In most cases, the organic brake pad is the cheapest, with the ceramic one being the most expensive. Henceforth, your budget should also be a guiding principle. Choose a material you can afford, considering the brake pads require regular replacement.
Inquire About Warranty
Warranty is a crucial aspect when buying a product or seeking services. This importance goes beyond cost. Most of the population knows that warranties lead to a significant cost reduction in the future use of a product. Nonetheless, a warranty also goes hand in hand with quality.
Brands tend to offer warranties to stand behind the quality of their products. With a warranty, the company will cover your brake pads’ maintenance needs for free. But this depends on their terms and conditions. All in all, settle for a brand that offers a warranty, and the warranty should last for a long time of at least more than two years.
Buy A Suitable Brand
Different companies manufacture brake pads. Although they all have the same end product, they often vary in quality. This disparity arises from the possibility that each company will use ITS own techniques in the manufacturing process. They’ll also source their raw materials from different vendors; some might get substandard ones with others pure ones. Therefore, it’s important to consider the brand you buy from.
Consider researching the companies that manufacture brake pads. Check what their previous customers say about the product under the review section. Be on the lookout for comments on longevity and performance. How long did the brake pads last before needing replacement? Did the brakes perform as the manufacturer informed them?
You want to settle for a reputable brand whose brake pads are known to last for a considerable amount of time and won’t malfunction during use leading to accidents.
Conclusion
This post has shown that choosing the right brake pads for performance and safety isn’t challenging. Consider implementing the tips herein to end up with brake pads you can rely on. Yet the ability to rely on your brakes for safety and performance isn’t solely based on the features. It highly depends on the installation process. When installed incorrectly, they might increase the chances of getting into accidents. Make sure that only a professional with a proven track record install your brake pads.
